How Teaching works in the UK (& Nottingham)

Top Tips for Postgraduate Students – How to Succeed in Your Studies

Lara Meredith – Professional Development

All Resources For This Presentation

http://pd.nottingham.ac.uk/eng/Induction/International-Students2

Congratulations!

Keeping Your Studies on Track

Question

How different are you expecting studying at Nottingham to be from your previous experiences?

1→→→→ →→→ 5 →→→→→→→10

Not very different →→→ Very different

What do you think will be different?

Complete this sentence “I think ………..will be different”

Swap papers around so you don’t know whose you have

Read out what is on the paper if asked.

What some other students thought http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pathways/m

od_studying/mod_studying_1.html

Uni of Nottingham & International Students

Over 30,000 students Approx 8,000 Post-grad students Over half post-grads are

international

UK System of Studying

Undergraduate Degrees Postgraduate Taught Courses

Includes PG Diploma, PG Certificates and taught Masters

Research Masters by Research (MRes or MPhil)

Doctoral Degree (e.g. PhD/DPhil etc.)

Degree Structure - PGT

Courses, Modules & Credits PGCert – 60 credits PGDip – 120 credits Masters (MA or MSc) – 180 credits (no

more than 75 per semester)

Module handbooks / Course handbooks. Post-Graduate Student Advisors

Semesters and Terms

Autumn Semester21 September 2009 – 22 January 2010

Spring Semester25 January 2010 – 18 June 2010

Autumn term21 September – 11 December 2009

Spring term11 January- 1 April 2010

Summer term4 May – 18 June 2010

Top Tips For: Getting the Most Out of UK Teaching Methods

Lectureshttp://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/learning/learning.asp

Seminars Tutorials Practicalshttp://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studentlife/international/speaking.asp

Supervision

What can you do?

Before the lecture

During the lecture

After the lecture

What can you do?

Before the seminar

During the seminar

After the seminar

Independent Study

Learning to become an independent learner

http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/learning/independent.asp

Don’t expect ‘rote learning’ Demonstrating independent thought

(backed-up by evidence)

What do Supervisor’s Expect?

Supervisor’s expect their students to Be independent Produce written work that is not just a

first draft! Attend regular meetings Be honest when reporting on progress Follow the advice they give Be interested and excited by your work

Do not expect!

Your supervisor to take the initiative That they will become a replacement parent They will make major contributions to your

research and thesis That they will give you very detailed

direction and guidance That the supervisor will have a high level of

knowledge in your specific area That they will proof read and re-write your

work

Quiz & Break

You have 10 minutes to Do the quiz with your neighbours Have a stretch Go to the toilet

After the break – Assessments & Academic Writing

Developing your Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of applying reasoned and disciplined thinking to your subject.

To do well in your studies you need to think critically about the things you have read, seen and heard.

Critical thinking is essential for high grades.

You can learn to become a critical thinker.

Developing your Critical Thinking

Take in the information

Understand the key

points and arguments

Compare similarities

and differences

between the ideas you are

taking in

Bring together the

different sources of

informationDevelop

arguments, and draw

conclusions,

Use the understanding you

have gained in assignments and

projects

Developing your Academic Writing

Academic writing has a clear purpose, either an exam question to answer or a research project to report on.  Mostacademic writing in English is linear.

Every part contributes to the main line of argument, without digression or repetition.

What ever kind of writing your are producing, you, the writer, are responsible for making your line of argument clear and presenting it in an orderly fashion so that the reader can follow.

Developing your Academic Writing

Understanding the QuestionIt is important to have a clear understanding of what you

are being asked to write: Analyse - Separate down into its component

parts and show how they interrelate with each other

Annotate - Put notes on (usually a diagram) Assess - Estimate the value of, looking at

both the positive and negative attributes Comment - To make critical or explanatory

notes/observations

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/library/skills/Advice/WhatQuest.pdf

Developing your Academic Writing

Academic writing is a difficult skill for all students to acquire…so…

Attend a workshop Talk with your lecturer Practice writing Write first, revise later Learn from good writers Talk about writing with other students Use your PC to improve your writing Learn from textbooks Learn new words Use new words

Developing your Academic Writing – citing and referencing

References should include the following

The author or editor Year of Publication (in round brackets) The title The edition if other than first The place of publication The publisher’s name

E.g. Kittel, C. (2005) Introduction to solid state physics. 8th ed. New York: Wiley

Developing your Academic Writing – Avoiding Plagiarism

2.2.1 It is an academic offence to present someone else’s work as being one’s own. (The University of Nottingham, Quality Manual)

It is important to understand that even though you may not mean to plagiarise, it would not be right that you are given credit for work that is not your own, even if it was done in error.

It is possible to be in violation of the university's rules on plagiarism becauseyou have been careless or inadequate in the way you have cited your sources.

To avoid the confusion of appearing to have plagiarised, it is better to make sure you have understood the conventions expected in citing thewords and work of other people.

Marking – A rough guide

70+ - Distinction 60-69 – Merit 50-59 – Pass (Masters) 40-49 – Pass (PGDiP and PGCert)

Assessment – understanding feedback

Lecturer feedback will usually tell you,

How good the assignment was

Whether it achieved what the lecturer wanted.

What could have beenimproved

Assessment – Understanding feedback

“You have given an adequate introduction to this topic based on your reading.”

“You write in a clear, academic style, following the conventions in almost every respect”

“Your summary of the various sources is through. Ideally you would integrate these more, rather than referring to the various people one by one in each section.

Translation: The word adequate means good enough. The marker is saying that what you have written is finebut not great. The marker is also suggesting that you may not have read enough texts.

Translation: Academic style = University writing, in almost every respect = most of the time

Translation: You need to change your academic writingstyle a little and bring together summaries of sources otherwisethe assignment becomes too long winded.

General Advice

If you don’t understand – ask your tutor, lecturer, supervisor or Director of Studies

Expect to have to work hard to understand

and respond to new academic expectations

Use the on-line materials on the handout to get to grips with all aspects of your work